Photoenergy heat collector

ABSTRACT

A photoenergy heat collector including an outer sleeve and multiple condenser lenses. The outer sleeve has a wall formed with multiple perforations passing through the wall of the outer sleeve from inner side to outer side. The condenser lenses are respectively inlaid in the perforations to focus light beams into the outer sleeve. A water flow can go into one end of the outer sleeve and flow through the outer sleeve and then flow out from the other end of the outer sleeve. Accordingly, as a heat exchanger, the heat of the light beams focused by the condenser lenses into the outer sleeve is absorbed by the water to heat the water. The photoenergy heat collector further includes an inner sleeve disposed in the outer sleeve and extending through the outer sleeve to serve as a passage for the water flow. The focuses of the condenser lenses reside in the outer circumference of the inner sleeve, whereby the inner sleeve can absorb the heat of the light focused by the condenser lenses and transfer the heat to the water flow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a heat exchanger, and more particularly to a heat-exchanging structure capable of collecting photoenergy for heat exchange.

The conventional solar heat collectors substantially include flat plate type, heat pipe type and vacuum tube type. Most of these heat collectors are civilly used for heat exchange and applied to water heaters. Such heat collectors are able to heat the water to a temperature within about 70° C.˜100° C. or even over 100° C. In the conventional solar heat collectors, the flat plate type heat collectors pertain to those heat collectors with larger volume and heavy weight and hard to assemble/disassemble. These heat collectors not only are used in civil fields, but also applied to industrial fields.

In order to more effectively and fully collect solar energy, a parabolic light reflector is added to the heat collector. In addition, the heat collector is further equipped with a solar tracker for driving the solar heat collector to effectively aim at the sun. It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a lightweight and high-efficiency solar heat collector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a photoenergy heat collector which has better photoenergy-gathering capability.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above photoenergy heat collector which is able to heat water flow to higher temperature.

According to the above objects, the photoenergy heat collector of the present invention includes an outer sleeve and multiple condenser lenses. The outer sleeve has a wall formed with multiple perforations passing through the wall of the outer sleeve from inner side to outer side. The condenser lenses are respectively inlaid in the perforations to focus light beams into the outer sleeve. The photoenergy heat collector further includes an inner sleeve disposed in the outer sleeve and extending through the outer sleeve to serve as a passage for a water flow.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1. The first embodiment of the photoenergy heat collector 1 of the present invention includes an outer sleeve 12 and multiple condenser lenses 14.

The outer sleeve 12 is a circular hollow tube body. The wall of the outer sleeve 12 is formed with multiple perforations 22 passing through the wall of the outer sleeve 12 from inner side to outer side.

The condenser lenses 14 are respectively inlaid in the perforations 22 to focus sunlight or the light coming from artificial light sources into the outer sleeve 12.

According to the above arrangement, a water flow can go into one end of the outer sleeve 12 (as shown by the arrow) and flow through the outer sleeve 12 and then flow out from the other end of the outer sleeve 12. Accordingly, as a heat exchanger, the heat of the light focused by the condenser lenses 14 into the outer sleeve 12 is absorbed by the water to heat the water.

Please refer to FIG. 2. The second embodiment of the photoenergy heat collector 1 of the present invention includes an outer sleeve 12 and multiple condenser lenses 14 as the first embodiment. In addition, the second embodiment of the photoenergy heat collector 1 further includes an inner sleeve 16 which is a circular hollow tube body. The inner sleeve 16 is disposed in the outer sleeve 12 and extends through the outer sleeve 12 to serve as a water flow passage. The focuses of the condenser lenses 14 reside in outer circumference of the inner sleeve 16. Accordingly, the inner sleeve 16 can absorb the heat of the light focused by the condenser lenses 14. The heat is transferred to the water flow flowing through the inner sleeve 16.

Please refer to FIG. 3. The third embodiment of the photoenergy heat collector 1 of the present invention is basically identical to the second embodiment. The third embodiment further includes two ball bearings 24 respectively fitted on two ends of the outer sleeve 12. That is, the two ends of the outer sleeve 12 are fixedly connected with outer collars of the ball bearings 24, while two ends of the inner sleeve 16 are fitted in the inner collars of the ball bearings 24. By means of a motor (not shown) and a belt (not shown), the outer sleeve 12 is drivable to rotate about the inner sleeve 16. Under such circumstance, the focuses of the condenser lenses 14 are movably positioned on the outer circumference of the inner sleeve 16. This can achieve even better heat-exchanging efficiency. Reversely, the outer sleeve 12 can be alternatively fixed and the inner sleeve 16 is rotatable. This can achieve the same effect.

Please refer to FIG. 4 which shows the fourth embodiment of the photoenergy heat collector 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, a curved or parabolic light condenser 18 is arranged under the outer sleeve 12 for reflecting light beams to the outer sleeve 12. This can achieve even better heat-exchanging efficiency.

In the above embodiments of the present invention, the condenser lenses 14 are aspherical glass lenses which have better light-gathering capability.

According to the above arrangement, the photoenergy heat collector 1 of the present invention has the following advantages:

-   -   1. By means of multiple condenser lenses 14, the water flow can         be heated to over several hundred-degree Celsius.     -   2. The outer sleeve 12 and the inner sleeve 16 can be rotated         relative to each other. Therefore, the focuses of the condenser         lenses 14 are movably positioned on the outer circumference of         the inner sleeve 16. This can achieve higher heat-exchanging         efficiency.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A photoenergy heat collector comprising: an outer sleeve having a wall which is formed with at least one perforation passing through the wall of the outer sleeve from inner side to outer side; and at least one condenser lens inlaid in the perforation to focus light beams into the outer sleeve.
 2. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a heat-exchanging section disposed in the outer sleeve for absorbing the energy of the light beams.
 3. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat-exchanging section is an inner sleeve which is disposed in the outer sleeve and extends through the outer sleeve to serve as a passage for a fluid.
 4. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve are angularly displaceable relative to each other.
 5. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light condenser arranged under the outer sleeve for reflecting light beams to the outer sleeve.
 6. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a light condenser arranged under the outer sleeve for reflecting light beams to the outer sleeve.
 7. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a light condenser arranged under the outer sleeve for reflecting light beams to the outer sleeve.
 8. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a light condenser arranged under the outer sleeve for reflecting light beams to the outer sleeve.
 9. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 10. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 11. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 12. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 13. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 14. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 15. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses.
 16. The photoenergy heat collector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the condenser lenses are aspherical glass lenses. 